This website is dedicated to all ULB partners with whom a bilateral agreement is active. Its purpose is to provide accurate and comprehensive information about the mobility experience at ULB.
On these pages, you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions, covering topics such as the nomination and application procedure, deadlines, language requirements, housing, and more.

If you have any further questions or would like more details on a specific topic, please do not hesitate to contact us.

About ULB

ULB, a multicultural and international university

Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) offers a welcoming, multicultural environment for students on exchange. It offers a wide range of courses in French and English, spread across 12 faculties and schools. Students are welcome to complete an exchange in one of our 41 bachelor's programmes or 180 master's programs, of which 50 are taught in English. Our campuses provide a stimulating academic environment, offering our students access to cultural and community life to enrich their experience. Located in the heart of Brussels, our main campuses offer students the chance to immerse themselves in a dynamic European city. Thanks to its many international partnerships, ULB guarantees high-quality academic mobility in an open environment.

A Civic University

The tolerance we proclaim is respect for the person and freedom of others.

Since its foundation in 1834, ULB has prided itself on its long-standing commitment to independent teaching and research, whilst remaining firmly engaged in the defense of democracy, individual freedoms, and human rights. Our core values are highlighted by the breadth and depth of ULB’s international teaching and research collaborations. 

Founded on the principle of free examination (Libre Examen), which postulates the independence of reason and the rejection of all dogma, the University has remained true to its original ideals: an institution free from all tutelage, committed to the defense of democratic and humanist values.

ULB is strongly committed to 

  • women’s rights
  • critical thinking
  • social policy
  • university cooperation
  • equality
  • ethical and cultural debates
  • fairness and success
  • sustainable development
  • solidarity with refugees
ULB in figures
  • 40,000 enrolled students spread out over six campuses
  • 32% are international students
  • 1,633 students on mobility programmes (In and Out)
  • 12 faculties
  • 41 bachelor’s programmes and 180 master’s programmes
  • 10 interdisciplinary institutes
  • H.U.B., a university Hospital in Brussels and a network of hospitals throughout Belgium
  • 2 Nobel Peace prizes and 4 Nobel Prizes in Science
Academic Programme and Course Catalogue
  • Students are welcome to complete an exchange in one of our 41 bachelor's programmes or 180 master's programs, of which 50 are taught in English.
  • Students are expected to select at least 60% of their courses in the faculty they have been nominated to. They will be allowed to take the other 40% in another faculty.
  • Students may register for between 5 ECTS credits (minimum) and 30 ECTS credits (maximum) per semester. Students can attempt up to 60 ECTS credits per academic year.
  • Students are required to specify the course codes (mnemonics) found in front of each course title. (Example: COMM-B305 or DROI-C3004, etc.).

Link to the full ULB course catalogue

Credit and Grading System

ULB uses the European Credits Transfer System (ECTS) grading tables to offer students the opportunity to compare their exam results with those of a larger student population (on a faculty level or for the whole university).

Credits are units that are allocated based on the learning outcomes and student workload in a specific study programme (attending lectures, studying time, completing assignments, etc.
At ULB, 1 credit = 30 hours

Following exams (oral and/or written), the final assessment will take the form of a grade of 0 to 20. To pass a course unit, a student needs to get a grade of at least 10/20. A student will fail if his marks are from 0 to 9.99.


Nomination procedure and details


At ULB, the nomination procedure varies according to the host faculty. For faculties with centralized management, nominations are handled by the Student Mobility Office. Nominations for decentralized faculties are managed by the faculty coordinators directly.
Nomination requirements
  • An active student exchange agreement must be valid between ULB and the home institution.
  • No specific study background is required to participate in a programme.
  • ULB has no limitation regarding the nationality of applicants.
  • Exchange students are eligible to come to both undergraduate and graduate programmes.
  • ULB has no GPA requirements.
Centralized faculties

Nomination for the following faculties are centralized: 

  • Brussels School of Engineering
  • Faculty of Sciences
  • Faculty of Human Motor Sciences
  • Faculty of Law and Criminology
  • Faculty of Letters, Translation and Communication (except Translation and Interpreting which is decentralized)
  • Faculty of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Speech and Language therapy

Partners who nominate students for the above faculties must submit the nominations, using the ULB Excel sheet template, which will be sent by e-mail to partners in:
- February for Semester 1 (Fall) and Full academic year mobilities 
- August for Semester 2 (Spring) mobilities

Nomination Deadlines for Non-EU partners:    
Semester 1 and Full academic year: 11 April
Semester 2: 15 October       
Please send your Nomination Excel sheet to julie.sepulchre@ulb.be.

Nomination Deadlines for EU partners (Erasmus+):    
Semester 1 and Full academic year: 15 May
Semester 2: 15 October       
Please send your Nomination Excel sheet to alice.hoslet@ulb.be.
Decentralized faculties

Nomination for the following faculties are decentralized:

Partners who nominate students for decentralized faculties must send an email to the above faculty contacts to receive the nomination procedure specifications.

Deadlines for all decentralized faculties, except Faculty of Medicine:
Semester 1 and Full academic year: 15 May
Semester 2: 15 October
    
Deadlines for the Faculty of Medicine:
Semester 1 and semester 2: 15 May        

Academic calendar


A full academic year starts mid-September and runs until end of June. First term/Autumn/Fall semester runs from mid-September to end of January. Second term/Spring semester runs from February to end of June.
These periods include classes and exams.

Link to the 2026-27 academic calendar (only available in French)

Information for your students


Nominated students will only be accepted if they are eligible and if they respect the applicaiton procedures and deadlines, after review of the course program by the academic coordinators. Nominated exchange students do NOT pay tuition fees to ULB. Students will instead pay tuition to their home institution.
 

Application procedure, requirements and deadlines:

 
Eligibility criteria
  • Students must be registered as a full-time student at the home institution at the time of application.
  • Students have to meet the language requirements of their host facuilty at the time of mobility.
  • Students applying for an undergraduate-level exchange must have already completed 120 ECTS or its equivalent.
  • Students applying for a graduate-level exchange must have completed an undergraduate degree (180 ECTS) or its equivalent or be registered in a graduate-level program at the time of your application.
Language requirements

ULB is a French-speaking university. Courses are conducted in French.
Although many master's programs are taught partially or entirely in English, the language of instruction and the student environment remain primarily French.

For non-native French speakers, a minimum level of B1 (CEFR Level) is required for courses taught in French. However, a B2 level is strongly recommended. 
Proof of language proficiency is not required. 

For non-native English speakers, a minimum level of B1 (CEFR Level) is required for courses taught in English. However, a B2 level is strongly recommended. 
Proof of language proficiency is not required. 

We trust our partners to ensure that their nominated students meet those requirements upon arrival to be able to attend classes and take exams comfortably.

Application procedure for students

The online form is only available to students who have been nominated and contacted by our office or host faculty.

At the end of the nomination period, nominated students will be contacted by email — either by the Student Mobility Office (for Centralized faculties) or directly by the host decentralized faculties. They will receive the Online application link together with all relevant information for their exchange at ULB, by email..
Students have complete their application online, upload the required documents, including their list of courses, and submit their form before the deadline (see below)

Online applications are then reviewed by the academic coordinators, and a final decision is communicated to the student in the next weeks.
 

Deadlines for Non-European partners students

Centralized faculties
Semester 1 and Full academic year: 1 May
Semester 2: 1 November

Decentralized faculties, except Faculty of Medicine:
Semester 1 and Full academic year: 1 May
Semester 2: 1 November

Faculty of Medicine:
Semester 1 and semester 2: 1 June

Deadlines for Erasmus students

Centralized faculties
Semester 1 and Full academic year : 1 June
Semester 2: 1 November

Decentralized faculties, except Faculty of Medicine:
Semester 1 and Full academic year: 1 June
Semester 2: 1 November

Faculty of Medicine:
Semester 1 and semester 2: 1 June

Specific deadlines for Erasmus+ thesis or internships requests

Thesis: (via SMS or SMP mobilities within the Erasmus+ programme)
A written authorisation of the Tutor at ULB will need to be provided to the Student Mobility Office within the deadline indicated.    
Deadlines: 1st term: June 1st ; 2nd term: October 15th 

Erasmus+ traineeships:
A nomination from the partner university as well as a written authorisation of the Tutor at ULB will need to be provided within the deadline indicated.    
Deadline: At least 6 weeks before the start of the traineeship.

Transcipt of Records

Transcripts of records (TOR) are available to students on MonULB, ULB’s online platform: a personal space where students can find their timetable, grades, online courses, and all the information they need for their university life.
Transcripts are generally issued in February for the first semester and in June for the second semester. At the end of an exchange stay at ULB, exam results are e-mailed by most of the host faculties directly to the home university. 

Mandatory Health Insurance

All incomiong ULB students benefit from a free public liability insurance covering any accidents related to their university activities.

In Belgium, additional individual health insurance is compulsory. 
Students that come to study in Belgium therefore need to take out health insurance as soon as possible after arriving. This will give the right to receive a full or partial refund, depending on the service provided, for medical costs and certain medicines. 

Complementary illness insurance also exists. Although not mandatory, this covers part of all the costs not reimbursed by regular medical insurance. In most cases, international students also need to prove that they are covered by international medical insurance.
ULB has a partnership with Partenamut Mutuality. Students can contact the International Welcome Desk to receive specific information.

Click here for more information about insurance in Belgium

Visa application

Non-European citizens studying in a European country must hold a visa for their mobility in Belgium. This procedure is mainly based on:

  • The ULB acceptance letter
  • The proof of means of subsistence
  • A passport with at least 12 months’ remaining validity
  • The completed and signed visa application form
  • Proof of health insurance
  • A medical certificate
  • A criminal record extract
  • The Standard Form provided by ULB

Once a student has received the ULB acceptance letter, they must contact the Belgian Embassy to request a visa
The status of the application can then be checked online via the Immigration Office.

For more information:


Practical Information:

 
Housing

Brussels, the capital of Europe, is a major university hub with more than 140,000 students enrolled in higher education. The population of Brussels continues to grow every year, and rents have risen sharply as a result. This trend is widening the gap between supply and demand. Nevertheless, with the help of the ULB Housing service, incoming students end up finding accommodation for their stay.

In Belgium, a “Kot” refers to a room or small apartment rented by a student, often close to the university or college. The average cost of a “Kot” or a room in a shared accommodation is between €500 and €680/monthly. 

ULB cannot offer university residence accommodation to international students on exchange programmes. Nevertheless, the Housing service will assist exchange students in finding accommodation for the duration of the exchange period. Students will find information about ULB partner residences and platforms for searching accommodation on their page.

Healthcare and well-being

ULB promotes access to health care and good health for its community through various medical and psychosocial consultation and support services, awareness-raising and prevention campaigns, and an extensive hospital network, which includes:

  • A family planning center with Aimer à l’ULB. 
  • A medical service.
  • Psychological help and support with PsyCampus.
  • A center that offers neuro (psychological, logopaedic and orthopaedic consultaions with the Centre de consulations universitaire pluridisciplinaire).
  • ULB fights against sexual and gender-based violence with its awareness-raising and prevention campaigns.
  • The Brussels University Hospital.

Click here for more information
Support for students with specific needs

ULB pledges to do everything in its power—within the limits of its available resources and reasonable accommodations—to enable all students to access academic programmes without discrimination, while maintaining the high requirements that guarantee the value of the degrees it delivers.
Based on their situation, a student can be recognised as having Specific Needs (SSN) for inclusive education ULB aid. This will allow them to access tailored support and measures that make inclusive higher education Belgium more accessible.

Faculties can then implement reasonable adaptation for students with disabilities or suffering from disabilities, documented deficiencies, or learning disabilities, while ensuring the quality of education provided.

ULB also offers specialised support for high-level athletes, student entrepreneurs, and student artists, helping them balance their personal paths with their studies.
Each faculty coordinator has contacts for SSNs, who can provide support and guidance.

Click here for more information

Cost of living

Student life in Brussels is manageable, but requires careful budgeting, as housing is expensive while other expenses (transportation, student activities) remain relatively affordable. Thus, the cost of living in Brussels depends heavily on lifestyle and type of accommodation but remains higher overall than in other university cities in Belgium.

The estimated total monthly budget for a student studying and living in Brussels is between €950 and €1,350 per month, including accommodation, study expenses, food, public transportation, and leisure activities.

In detail, on average:

  • Kot, shared accommodation: between €500 and €680 (including utilities – electricity/heating/water)
  • Food: €300 per month
  • Public transportation: €12 (with student registration certificate). Yearly ticket for 18-24 year old student only.
  • Health insurance and medical: €30 (fees)
  • Internet and mobile phone: €30 (Internet) and €20 (Mobile phone)

Non-European students need to apply for a work permit to have the right to take a student job. 

Blocked accounts

ULB offers to all non-European national students the Blocked Account service.

When applying for a visa for studies, the Belgian embassy or Consulate will ask to provide a proof of sufficient financial resources to cover living, study, health care and repatriation expenses for the entire duration of the stay (semester or full academic year).
The process, that can take 1 to 3 weeks, is explained on a video that can be watched on the Blocked account web page.

Meeting local students - Buddy system

- The ESN Buddy System is a mentoring platform that enables local youth to assist and support international youth. International students can therefore register on the ESN Buddy Platform to join the buddy system that allows to have a local student as their buddy.

- Goin’ is the largest student community platform in higher education. Before arrival, students can connect to Goin’ and make meaningful connections. This tool enhances student experience, participates in lively discussions, and makes it part of a student community.



Fact Sheet and downloadable resources

Contact us


If you have any further questions or would like more details on a specific topic, please do not hesitate to contact us:

mobilite@ulb.be

If you have a question related to the nomination and application procedure of a centralized faculty:

Julie.Sepulchre@ulb.be (Non-EU)
Alice.Hoslet@ulb.be (Erasmus+)

If you have a question related to the nomination and application procedure, or academic issuerelated to a decentralized faculty:

Faculty of Architecture (La Cambre/Horta): Zohra CHENTOUF
Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences: Isabelle BEAUCHAMP
School of Translation and Interpreting: Nathalie BREMEELS
Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management: Anne GEORGES  
Faculty of Medicine: Kristela BABIC 

If you have a question on the academic issue related to a centralized faculty:

Brussels School of Engineering: Rose-Marie BRYNAERT
Faculty of Sciences: Renaud MARTEL
Faculty of Human Motor Sciences: Anne MONCOUSIN
Faculty of Law and Criminology: Isabelle BETTENS
Faculty of Letters, Translation and Communication (except Translation and Interpreting): Valerie VAN STEEN 
Faculty of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Speech and Language therapy: Alexandra DEBEUR

Facebook page
Instagram : @ErasmusULB
 
Updated on July 29, 2026